Widespread adoption of connected battery health monitoring across EVs and micromobility could help manufacturers avoid large-scale recalls and identify safety risks early, according to one specialist.

Nick Bailey, founder of battery intelligence firm BatteryIQ, said the technology could ensure car manufacturers prevent large-scale recalls caused by suspected battery issues by mitigating risks.

“Innovative battery management systems created by BatteryIQ can pinpoint abnormal behaviours in a specific vehicle or a small group of vehicles. In many cases, this means issues can be addressed early, sometimes even via software update, without the need to recall entire fleets.”

The call follows recent high-profile electric vehicle battery recalls affecting thousands of cars in the UK, highlighting the growing challenge of managing lithium-ion battery safety as electrification accelerates across transport sectors.

BatteryIQ said the lithium-ion industry is moving from reactive safety, responding after faults emerge, towards predictive monitoring that continuously tracks battery health in real-world use.

Its battery management systems embed intelligent monitoring within the battery system, analysing cell behaviours, degradation patterns and operating conditions in real time to identify early warning signs of failure, damage or misuse.

“Battery-health monitoring is effectively the equivalent of having a smoke alarm inside a battery system,” Bailey explained. “It provides early warning of stress, degradation or abnormal cell behaviours long before a dangerous condition develops.”

According to BatteryIQ, connected battery intelligence will become a foundational safety layer across electric vehicles, e-bikes, energy storage and buildings as lithium-ion adoption scales.

“The next step for the industry has to be the universal adoption of connected battery-health monitoring,” Bailey stated. “Manufacturers, operators and users should receive alerts well before a battery reaches a critical or unsafe state.”

This shift will enable early detection of defective or degrading batteries, and reduced fire risk and safety incidents. The switch would also lower warranty and recall costs, and deliver greater confidence for insurers and regulators.

Tanya Sinclair, CEO of campaign group Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Electrification isn’t just about selling vehicles; it’s about creating a mature, resilient ecosystem around them. Connected battery-health monitoring is exactly the kind of smart, preventative technology that builds confidence across the system: for drivers, manufacturers, insurers and regulators alike. It also creates efficiencies not possible with combustion cars.”